Gone
by Theatreotaku
Summary: The final shadow game is over and Bakura has been defeated, but is the ancient thief really gone? Not if Ryou and Marik have anything to say about it.


A/N Hey everyone the I know this fic has a few weak areas but at the moment I am at a loss as to how to fix them. I might come back to this later and rework it. please let me know if you have any suggestion or comments. please forgive any mistakes I have no beta reader. I hope you enjoy.

Marik sat in a small shady alcove in the cannon wall. He did not understand how his sibling could stand sitting in the hot sun Playing cards. They all grew up in the tombs and were accustomed to the desert heat, but apparently, he was the only one of them that had been spoiled by the last few years of modern convinces. Even wearing the lightest clothing, he owned he still felt himself drenched in sweat. Droplets falling down his face landing on the pages of the book sitting in lap. He had not seen his siblings since he moved to Japan. He was happy to have spent the time with his family even if he hated the circumstances.

A few days ago, he got a phone call from Ishizu telling him that the pharaoh was returning to Egypt and he needed to come back. He had honestly been expecting the call. Bakura had disappeared a week before. Marik didn't know what the spirit was planning all he could get out of him was that this was going to be his last stand the end. Marik shook his head thinking Bakura was an idiot who couldn't leave well enough alone for once. All he wanted was to curl up on the couch with Bakura as some senseless movie played, but no here he was sweating in the desert dragged like a marionette on a string to serve his duties to the pharaoh.

Marik turned another page of the book sitting in his lap. He was unable to process any of the words, his mind to preoccupied with irritation at the pharaoh. Marik kept turning the pages anyway he did not want Ishizu or Odion asking what was wrong. They were both to loyal to understand his frustration with the pharaoh. The only thing harder than explaining that was the real reason for his irritation.

He knew that his anger towards the pharaohs were just him trying to keep his mind off the dread in the pit of his stomach over Bakura. Marik knew that the pharaoh was going to win destiny demanded it. The only real question was would Bakura be alive after wards.

Marik was pulled from his thoughts by a series of noises coming from the tomb. _So, it's finally over_. Marik thought as he slammed his book shut. Getting up from his spot he greeted Yugi and his friends. He felt his heart clenched up when he saw Joey and Tristian carrying an unconcise Ryou up the stairs. He forced himself to remain calm. Telling himself that Bakura was impossible to kill and that he was going to be fine. Marik continued to repeat this to himself trying to make himself believe it. As he did this he told the group the next step for the pharaoh to move on to the afterlife. The would all have to travel to the tomb on the sacred island to the west.

The group then filed back into the jeeps and headed back to Luxor. Marik arranged for himself to sit next to Ryou who was passed out his head leaning on the cars window. As they drove back to the city Marik pretended that he was looking out the window past Ryou. In reality, his eye never left the white-haired boy.

He was too thin Marik did not think that it was possible for someone to lose that much weight within a week. Bakura never remembered to eat or sleep on his own. This often left Ryou faint when he was back in control. Marik always nagged Bakura that at this rate he was going to die of starvation before he ever got to fight the Pharaoh again.

Everyone who did not actually know them thought that one personality was all was in control till some big event happened to upset the status quo. The two split their time about 50/50 Ryou was in control more than enough to be able keep up some semblance of health. Judging from the dark circles under Ryou's eyes Bakura was in sole control of their body since they disappeared last week. Bakura had never push their body this hard before Marik had to wonder what the hell they had been doing this past week. He hated seeing the two like this, but at least Ryou was alive. That was something the cost of losing a shadow game was shared by the two. If Ryou was here now that was a good sign for Bakura. Marik tried to let this notion calm him as they drove across the desert.

Marik was so wrapped up in his own thought that he did not notice that they had arrive in Cairo where the boat waited to take them all. It had been decided somewhere along the drive that everyone was going to drop off their belongings and go get a pizza before leaving.

"Ryou wake up!" Joey shouted starling Ryou awake. "Come on we're going to get something to eat" Marik had to bit his tongue to keep from screaming at Joey did none of them released that he not slept or eaten in days how was he supposed to go out.

"I'm really tired I would rather go to sleep if you could bring me back something."

"It will be good for you to be out with friends" Téa interjected. Ryou nodded his head to polite to decline.

In the midst of this conversation Ishizu had pulled Marik away from the group. They still had to talk to the ship's crew before they were able to set sail. By the time that was finished everyone had already gone to the pizza parlor Marik and his siblings joined the friendship squad's table.

"I'm glad that you're alright after everything that happened with the spirt Ryou." He heard Tèa said as Ishizu ordered them a vegie pizza when the waiter stopped by.

Hearing that made Marik want to laugh Ryou dropped out of the circle of friends while he worked on the final shadow game with Bakura. No one had cared then that they had not seen him in weeks not one call or text to see if he was alive. It was never till after Bakura did something did they even remember that Ryou existed. That was another thing that never made since to Marik if they were always so worried about what Bakura was up to why would they not keep better tabs on Ryou. They would at least know when something big was being planned. On second though Marik reasoned he lived with the two for the past year and he still had no earthly idea of what the final shadow game was.

"I had to help him create the diorama he used in the shadow." Ryou told the group

He was lying Ryou loved working on that diorama it was not unusual for Marik to wake up to empty bed to find that Ryou had been working on the campaign for hours by then. Marik normally made a small breakfast the two would eat together. A note book always sitting next to Ryou occasionally breaking the conversation to jot down an idea he had. The conversation continued outside of his musings

"I can't believe that you went through that, at least the spirt is gone now?" Marik leaned in at the mention of Bakura. Everyone stared at Ryou waiting for him to confirm the death of the "Evil" spirt of the ring. Ryou looked at Marik as if he was trying to figure out what to say. After taking a long breath Ryou spoke "He always had a way to come back this time I was not able to sense him in the ring before you all took it." That simple statement turned Marik's word on its side.

Marik stood up from his spot at the table "I'm not feeling well I'm heading back." He began walking away from the table before any one could say anything. He had to get out of there before he completely broke down. Ryou had to be wrong he had to be.

Once he was back on the ship he went to Yugi's room and found the ring. The menacing aura that surrounded the gold item had disappeared. "Bakura" Marik shouted in his mind "Bakura" still nothing. "Bakura" Marik called out loud this time getting frustrated. He was now clutching the ring in his hand his knuckles turning white "Bakura I swear, if you don't say something right now I'll…I'll."

Marik broke off collapsing to the floor clutching the ring against his chest hot tears falling down his face. Marik was not sure how long it was he sat there in Yugi's room before he felt a hand resting on his shoulder. Marik jumped at the touch turning his head to see Ryou looking down at him. Ryou crouched down and wrapped his arms around Marik.

"He's really gone this time?" Marik cried into the other boy's shirt.

"Yes." Of course, he knew that but hearing it out loud suddenly made everything feel too real. Another sob broke from him as he sat there and cried. It was a few minutes before Marik able to Pull away from Ryou his back now resting against the foot of yugi's bed Marik looked up at the celling at this closing his eyes with a heavy sigh he said "I wish I could have said good bye."

"I can help with that," Marik gave him a curious look as Ryou pulled out a piece of paper out of his pocket. "I found this spell a few months ago. Marik took the paper from Ryou Reading it. It was a spell that temporally called forth spirits from there resting place.

"Does it work?" Marik did not mean to sound so skeptical it just seemed way to easy.

"I used it for Amane, they are incorporeal so you can't touch them. It just to help to get closure."

Marik gave a halfhearted laugh "We'd just end up yelling at each other the entire time".

"I would think there was something wrong if you two actually got along. I went back before this last shadow game to see if there was anything I could combine it with, but no luck."

Marik's head shot up "Combine spells?"

"Yeah if you cast compatible spells at the same time their effects are combined to make a new spell. The tomb keepers never taught you that?"

"That knowledge was probably reserved only for the pharaoh" Marik sneered his mind racing as he tried to recall all the text he read as a child. He came up short the library was enormous he only read a fraction of its contents. This was the closets Marik had ever come to regretting his decision to leave the tombs.

"Do you think that this would be compatible with anything form the tomb keeper's archives?"

Ryou thought for a minute "they should be."

Marik entire demeanor perked up before immediately slumping down. I have to help that bastard pass on before I could go."

"At least we get to make sure that the bastard is gone before we bring him back."

"Thank you" Ryou pulled Marik into one final hug he then went to the were the ring still sat on the floor. Picking it up Ryou returned it to Marik.

"We should get out of here before the rest of them get back." Marik nodded holding the cold metal in his for a minute before putting it back on the bed where he found it. They left the room heading for their own cabins on the ship.

The next day when they arrived on the island Marik fulfilled his duties and ensured that the pharaoh passed on. After it was all said and done they returned to Cairo. As soon as the ship made land fall Ryou and Marik made excuse to break off form the group and go their own way. The tombs that Marik grow up in were not too far from the city Cairo so they decided to get a hotel in the city and drive out to the tombs while the went to though the archives. They took a cab to one of the nicer hotels in the area. Marik had insisted on it despite Ryou's protest. By the time they checked in to the room it was already seven and too late to go out to the tombs. So they decided to go out to the tombs first thing in the morning something that Marik was not entirely unhappy with.

The next morning Marik stood in front of the old tombs trying to steal his nerves. It was a testament to his determination that he was returning to this hovel. When he first abandoned his tomb keeper, he had vowed to burn the place to ash before living in darkness again. They entered the tomb lighting torches for themselves as they descended into the darkness. Marik took a deep breath to keep himself calm. Ryou's presence was reassuring he was not sure if he could have kept it together this long if it wasn't for him.

The walked down the labyrinth of tunnels the was the old tombs. the further they went down the more Marik wished for sunlight and fresh air. Marik had forgotten how stale the air had been down here growing up. The tomb was eerier than he remembered his clan having moved out after he showed the pharaoh his back during battle city. It had always been quite growing up but the silence that filed the tombs know was deafening making every noise they made as they walk earthshattering.

They finally got to the tomb archives. A large room lined with scrolls. In the center of the room was a large fire pit. A set of pillows put to the side was the rooms only source of comfort. Every inch was covered with a thick layer of dust. Access to this room was forbidden to anyone outside of himself. As such none had entered this room since Marik left. Which in all honesty surprised Marik. He'd had thought that his sister would have given all of these scrolls to the museum by now. Not that he was complaining. Marik set fire to the wood sitting in the pit then tossed Ryou one of the pillows so that the boy would have some where to sit. The two then got to work.

Pulling scrolls and bringing them to their respective spots around the fire. Discarding everything that was not useful to them. After a few hours, the two boys stopped their search and began eating the lunch Ryou had packed for them. They sat and talked as they ate the conversation flowed easily between the two of them. Marik had always enjoyed the conversation he would have with Ryou. One moment they would be talking about the effectiveness of pot of greed then the next about which of the avenger was the hottest. After an hour had passed Ryou stood up

"We should get back to work." Marik nodded

"Yeah I want to hurry up and bring that bastard back so that I can kill for disappearing like that."

"Seems counterproductive." Ryou teased.

Marik shrugged "It'd make me feel better." Both laughed as they went back to work.

When it became too dark to continue working the two left the tomb to return to the hotel taking a few of the text with them to study. Marik was lounging on the couch skimming though an ancient spell book.

"How much magic did the tomb keepers teach you." Ryou asked from his spot at the dining table across the room where he was translating a few scrolls that brought back.

The question was so sudden that it took Marik a moment to respond "Everything I learned was purely academic" Marik said looking up from his book "The only practical things I taught myself are basically parlor tricks." Ryou walked across the room to the couch.

"Parlor tricks like what?" Ryou asked curiously Marik sat up placing the tomb on the coffee table. He held his hand out electricity crackled from his fingertips stuff like that.

"Stuff like that."

"But why."

"Learning magic was an honor that was reserved for the pharaoh and the high-born nobles. My family was neither. We were only supposed to use magic strictly in our duties as tomb keepers."

"Then we need to start your lessons." Moving to an empty spot on the floor siting down

"What now?"

"I need help casting any spell we end up using. "Ryou furrowed his brow tying to think of where to start "let's start with learning control this come sit across from me and do that energy thing again but this time do it with your hands together." Marik did as Ryou asked and they practiced magic for the rest of the night.

Things went on like this for the following week. Heading to the tomb early in the morning and practicing magic all night. As the days went on Marik became worried they had gone through most of the text by now. Only about another hundred or so left to go through. If they didn't find anything within the next day. Marik shook his head there had to be something he couldn't allow himself to dwell on what if situation.

They Trudge on reading one scroll after another till finally Marik found it. Ryou tripped over himself as he rushed over when Marik shouted. "I found it." Ryou carefully looked over the text. A smile growing on his face as he continued reading.

"This can work If we combine this with the other spell."

Once they found the spell they went back to the hotel. They made a list of all the ingredients that were required for the spell. Luckily Ryou had been able to find an apothecary shop that had everything they needed. Within a few days they were ready to cast the spells after Ryou made some alterations to both spells to make them more compatible.

They ran hot water into Marik's bath tub. Ryou was making the intricate markings with a marker Marik had tried to do it earlier but he had been two jittery to make the intricate markings. After finishing he placed a candle in the center lighting the candle. The faint hint of smoke mixed with the incense and herbs that they burned for the ritual Marik came back into the room with several towels. Ryou tuned off the running water.

There were now ready to start the ritual. Ryou was honestly a little nervous about this. Combining spells was risky. You could never be sure if the end result was going to what you wanted. Or if it would create an entirely new spell. He did not want to voice his concerns to Marik. He could not bring himself to snuff out the last ray of hope. No matter how small of a chance there was he knew that he would have to take.

Marik had turned off the lights in the bathroom as he took his place next to Ryou on the floor. They began to recite the spell together. They began slowly each word deliberate once he recited the spell he began it over with more force behind the words. The temperature in the room began to plummeted as a mass of energy began to form above the tub. He stated the spell again his energy was draining quickly sweat forming on his forehead from the effort of casting the spell. He wasn't going to be able to keep this up for much longer.

As they finished the spell for the third time Marik placed a hand on Ryou's shoulder pointing out small collection of bubbles rising up from the tub. Ryou stopped his chanting and collapsed to the floor. He lay there watching as Marik Quickly moved closer to the tub, and pulled Bakura up to the surface. Once Marik got Bakura's head above water he began to drain the tub. he dragged Bakura naked body out of the now sure to be freezing water Marik pull from the stack of towels that were laying on the sink counter.

Bakura laid on the ground nonresponsive barely breathing as Marik dried him off speaking to the thief trying to bring the thief out of his stupor. Nothing he did was worked. Ryou attempted to get up to help Marik, he immediately fell when he lifted himself up. How the fuck was Marik even siting up right now he thought.

"Bakura please say something," Marik said quietly into his chest as he said this Marik and Ryou both realized that the slow rise and fall of Bakura's chest had stopped panicking Marik began shaking Bakura "Bakura you can't die on me again." Silence. "Please," there was still no movement from the body on the floor. Marik was forced to give up baking away leaning his back against the tub pulling his knee's up to his chest burying his face as he cried.

Hearing those cries broke Ryou's heart. He wished that he never suggested this to him. Giving Marik this false hope had been one of the cruelest thing might have ever done. He had not fully thought though all of the consequences if the spell went wrong. He had gotten caught up with Marik's enthusiasm.

Marik's broken expression changed to one of determination. Marik moved slowly back over to Bakura exhaustion catching up to him. Marik charged up electricity up in his fingers digging his nail into Bakura's chest, removing his hands a second later attempting to create a sort of defibrillation. "Marik stop he's gone." Ryou said quietly. Marik shook his head as if trying to deny what was happening. Marik placed his hands no Bakura one more. This time Bakura sputtered to life coughing. Marik immediately tackled Bakura into hug laughing and crying hysterically while he did so.

"How" Bakura's question was cut off when Marik locked their lips together into a kiss. Ryou smiled as he watched the two of them a wave of relief washing over him. He had never been happier to be proven wrong than in this moment. The ill effects of the spell were startling to were off and he was finally able to get up giving the two some privacy made his way over to the couch to fall asleep.

A/N Thank you to every one who read this comments are always welcomed.


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